


A Series of Fortunate Events

by TheHumble_Crazy_Shipper (MW01)



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-16 05:01:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5815198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MW01/pseuds/TheHumble_Crazy_Shipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If only one thing had happened differently, Jemma and Leo's lives may have been vastly different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Series of Fortunate Events

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the scene in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button where daisy is hit by the taxi...only less sad... hope you all enjoy!!

It was a cool autumn Thursday morning, the air crisp with the promise of a freezing winter in weeks to come. Leaves fell from a tree in a courtyard, the ground covered by a sea of brown and gold which was being prominently pointed out by the arguing couple within the accompanying unit. The husband, defending his inactions of not raking those leaves, had been fighting with his angered wife all morning. There long day only just beginning.

***

Elsewhere, a professor was arriving to work at the SHIELD academy; a spring in his step from a good night spent fooling around with his mistress. He hadn’t been home to his partner; had instead showered and shaved at his secret hotel room and then left for work practically glowing with excitement over his late night lovers tryst. It wasn’t until 10 minutes into his first class that he realised he had forgotten his briefcase which had been filled with essay papers from several of his best students.

At lunch he drove to the hotel but after being allowed to search his room he found that his briefcase was gone and to make matters worse, the hotel staff were unable to locate it nor did they really seem interested in helping him to begin with. Resigned to his fate of having to contact his students, he made his way back to the academy to finish his last class of the day.

Jemma Simmons was an eager individual. Bright, punctual and her marks reflected her intelligence so it was no surprise that she was the first student to return after his afternoon class having printed a copy of her papers. He only regretted having to make her wait 5 minutes as he finished a phone call with a student from his class from the day before, one whom, although incredibly intelligent and promising, was equally as gruff and impatient. Today was no different as he explained the situation over the phone, earning the expectedly angered response from his pupil who sounded like he was already leaving to bring in his work.

***

Leo Fitz left his home, paperwork in hand, a scowl upon his face after just finishing a phone conversation with his academy professor. There was no masking his anger as he began the short walk to the Academy to, again, hand in his essay papers. He had worked hard on this project and had hoped his tutor would, for once, display the same level of interest in the subject as he. 

Walking down the street, he slowly calmed, allowing his temper to take a back seat finally. There was a cool breeze ruffling the trees along the sidewalk, the natural occurrence a welcoming distraction to Leo’s thoughts and to the busy street before him.

***

At a department store, the husband who had been arguing with his wife was on a mission to return a phone he had purchased the day before. In his flustered state over the argument, he had forgotten to bring his receipt and when denied the opportunity to return his purchase, proceeded to take his frustration out on the saleswomen serving him.

Now, the saleswomen, having finished her shift, had been about to leave when 2 things happened. The first being that her co-worker had excused herself to the bathroom leaving no one at the service desk. The second was the arrival of the disgruntled husband.

Not having a choice, she stayed behind and unhappily took the verbal abuse as the clock ticked on, reminding her that with each passing second, she was closer to missing her train home. Normally this wouldn’t have been a worrying issue but today, the trains were undergoing maintenance and if she missed her usual train, she would have to wait over an hour for the next.

Finally finished with the husband, she ran for the door and out onto the path of Leo Fitz whose paperwork was sent flying.

***

Jemma Simmons had left the Academy and was heading home. She arrived at a busy intersection and waited patiently for the light on the opposing footpath to turn green and allow her to cross the road safely. Cars zoomed by her but she was blissfully unaware, happy to be on her way to her warm bed; quite excited to get started on a especially interesting hypothesis she had been thinking about all week.

One block away, the wife, who had fought with her husband in the morning, was driving down the road on her way to her second job. Because of her morning argument, she had arrived to her first job 15 minutes late and as a result, was required to stay behind to make up the time. Aware that her second job required her to start work in 7 minutes, she tore down the street, happy to risk speeding slightly to be able to start on time. It was this mentality that made her choose to run the red light at the intersection, swerving slightly to miss Jemma as she walked out onto the street.

The car startled Jemma back to the sidewalk leaving her chest heaving and adrenaline coursing through her veins. By the time she had regained her senses, the light had changed and she had to wait all over again.

***

Both Jemma and Leo started their journey again at the same time; both preoccupied with their run in only moments earlier. It was those trains of thought that distracted each of them as they rounded the same corner.

Now, if just one of those events hadn’t occurred; if the wife had stopped at the red light or the saleswomen had left work onetime. Or the husband had remembered his receipt or the co-worker had taken an earlier bathroom break. Or the professor had called Leo earlier or had remembered his briefcase. Or even if the husband had cleaned up the fallen leaves and hadn’t argued with his wife; Jemma and Leo would have walked by each other without a second thought. 

But they didn’t! Instead, they bumped into one another roughly and the moment their eyes locked, their fate was sealed. A series of fortunate events had lead them together; a sequence of random acts, seemingly disconnected, entwined the lives of complete strangers to form the foundation of a lasting friendship between two destined souls; Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz.


End file.
